Bangladesh, Sept. 5 -- The beginning of the Nazrul Year on 31 August 2026 should be more than an occasion for poetry recitations, concerts and commemorative speeches.

It should prompt Bangladesh to confront a more important question: are we living by the values KaziNazrul Islam stood for?

Nazrul was not simply a celebrated poet. He was a powerful voice against oppression, inequality and social injustice.

Through poetry, journalism and activism, he challenged colonial rule and questioned the prejudices of his society.

His Bidrohi remains a symbol of defiance, but Nazrul's rebellion was never merely about confrontation. At its core was a demand for human dignity, equality and freedom.

The empire he opposed has disappeared, but many of...